Allenby storms to title

LIGONIER (USA), SEPT. 24. Robert Allenby's first three wins on the U.S. PGA Tour were achieved in playoffs.

His fourth came in much more decisive fashion when he secured a commanding three-stroke victory at the $3.3 million Pennsylvania Classic on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Australian led throughout the final two rounds, and never led by less than three strokes over the final 18 holes in pleasant conditions at storied Laurel valley.

``A win is a win. You'll take it any way you can (but) it's nice to win a tournament in good fashion,'' Allenby said after carding a closing four-under-par 68.

``That's the best week I've ever had tee-to-green. My swing felt great. Shot after shot, I peppered the flag every time. My driving was good and I also holed my fair share of putts.''

Allenby, who made just four bogeys the entire tournament, finished at 19-under 269, while Americans Larry Mize (65) and Rocco Mediate (68) tied for second on 272. It was Allenby's second victory of the year, his fourth in the past two years on Tour. Only Tiger Woods (14 wins) and Phil Mickelson (six) have won more often during this period.

``I knew I had a great chance because I was swinging well coming into the tournament,'' said Allenby, who collected $594,000 to jump to 12th on this year's money list.

But he had trouble concentrating during Thursday's first round, distracted by thoughts of the September 11 attacks. However, a birthday party that night for his two-year-old son turned his attitude around.

``Golf didn't seem important, and to tell you the truth, it still doesn't,'' he said. ``My wife said `we're here. you might as well play golf'. That turned my focus around.''

Allenby and Meidate were two of the 11 players who had to return early on Sunday to complete the third round. Allenby, who had three holes left, picked up a birdie to take a three-shot lead over Mediate into the final round.

Six birdies in the final round kept him well clear. Perhaps his best birdie was at the 605-yard, par-five 11th, where he ripped a three-wood second shot to the heart of the green and two-putted for birdie. A 35-footer that dropped for birdie at the 15th gave him a four-shot cushion, and a bogey at the 16th hardly mattered.

``It was just a matter of staying dry,'' he said, referring to the water that lurks in front of the final green.

It's difficult to be certain exactly where Allenby stands in golf's pecking order. Unlike Woods, Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els, Allenby doesn't challenge for victory week in and week out.

Indeed, just once in the past two seasons has he contended for victory and not won on Tour, at last year's Phoenix Open, where he tied for second after bogeying the final hole. And three of the 30-year-old Australian's four victories were in playoffs. Yet he has a brilliant winning record, and when history is written, it's winning that counts, not near-misses.

Allenby knows that he has a lot more to prove, and that only by winning a major championship will be ever really belong with the game's elite.

He hasn't come close to winning a major, or even contending for that matter. Indeed, a tie for 10th at the 1997 British Open is his best result in 20 major appearances.

However, he believes he has the game to win a major, and it's difficult to argue otherwise after the impressive way he dusted off the field to win by three strokes at Laurel Valley on Sunday.

- Reuters

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